Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

N () (): [by video link] Stella Morris, Julian Assange's partner, tweeted today that a decision is imminent on this Walkley Award winning Australian's trial in the UK in relation to him being sent to the US on extradition. It's high time that this parliament got serious about Julian Assange. We have moved motions in this chamber, which have been supported by the Australian Senate, recognising his persecution and yet we have heard nothing from this government in relation to the stunning and very disturbing revelations recently about CIA plots by our ally, the US, to kidnap or assassinate Julian Assange. We have heard nothing from our foreign minister about what our government has done to raise this issue with the US. I would like to say today that the Greens will seek to introduce a motion in this Senate for a references inquiry through the Defence, Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee, to use this Senate's resources to get to the bottom of this.

It's high time we got serious about helping this Australian citizen, who has been subject to punishment by process: the continuous use of legal warfare against this individual. He has rights like any Australian citizen has rights, and we need to stand up for him. We would be very hopeful of that inquiry getting the support of Labor and the crossbench. It would be a short inquiry with a number of hearings in Canberra. We hope to deliver this inquiry around the election, early next year. Let's get on with it.